MOZART'S DON GIOVANNI / Singapore Lyric Opera / Review

MOZART’S DON GIOVANNI
Singapore Lyric Opera
Esplanade Theatre
Saturday (25 February 2012)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 27 February 2012 with the title "Don of a new age".

Considering that Don Giovanni is widely regarded as Mozart’s greatest opera, it comes as some surprise that the Singapore Lyric Opera had waited some 20 years to stage it. This may be due to the fact that there had been two previous productions in Singapore during the late 1980s and mid-1990s by groups from Britain and Hungary. This, the first featuring all Asian voices, however has much to recommend.

First, veteran director Tom Hawkes does not tamper with the story or setting as a tragicomedy and morality tale, instead allowing the relationships between the characters to be clearly defined. The two lead baritones, Song Kee Chang’s Don Giovanni and Huang Rong Hai’s Leporello, shared a marvellous chemistry together as master and serf (above). Huang’s comical mix of hero-worship and contempt for the Don was well characterised, as was Song’s nonchalant and callous way with women.

The excellent supporting cast was completely Singaporean, now achievable because a critical mass of experienced and young local opera singers exists today. Rising to the fore was soprano Cherylene Liew’s sympathetic portrayal of purity and goodness in the role of Zerlina (above). Her two arias Batti batti, Vedrai carino and the famous duet La ci darem la mano with the Don call to notice an impressive new talent.

But why was tenor Melvin Tan’s believable Don Ottavio denied his few minutes in the limelight of Il mio tesoro? Its excision to keep the show under three hours (the final curtain came down one minute before eleven) seemed cruel. He and relative veterans Nancy Yuen (Donna Anna), Yee Ee Ping (Donna Elvira), William Lim (The Commendatore), Martin Ng (Masetto) and the dependable SLO Orchestra conducted by Joshua Kangming Tan provided a firm bedrock to the proceedings.

Unlike the two previous productions which barely had sets to speak of, Christopher Chua’s backdrops were effective and simple, with an emphasis on stone that seemed to pre-empt the arrival of the stone guest for the final dinner scene. The Don’s fire and brimstone comeuppance, a rare scene with three low male voices (below) and an opportunity for special stage effects, however seemed a tad underwhelming.

With the unrepentant philanderer safely dispatched to Hades, the final sextet was a joyous denouement but was the descending image of a crucified Jesus Christ’s head appropriate? Surely this sent mixed signals about sin, recalcitrance and eternal damnation. Or had the Don made yet another one of his audacious escapes?

This production of Don Giovanni plays at Esplanade Theatre 8 pm this evening (Monday 27 February) and runs till tomorrow (Tuesday 28 February).

SSO Concert:The Sebelius Symphonies: Nos.4 & 5 / Review

THE SIBELIUS SYMPHONIES: Nos.4 & 5
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Esplanade Concert Hall
Friday (24 February 2012)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 27 February 2012 with the title "Every phrase freshly minted".

The Fourth and Fifth Symphonies of the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius make for an exhausting listen when heard together in a same sitting. Imagine what it must be like for the performers on stage or the conductor, even if he happens to be the renowned Sibelius interpreter Okko Kamu.

His insights into the enigmatic Fourth Symphony, one so elusive that it reveals only some of its secrets some of the time, translated into a slickly delivered performance even if one still remained baffled after this hearing. The low strings which opened the work provided an atmospheric hush, aided by Principal Cellist Ng Pei Sian’s rich and sonorous solo. This set the tone for the most forbidding of works that ran close to 40 minutes.

Its themes, terse and austere as the Arctic winter, do not lend themselves to easy memory. Following its glacial pace was like a trudge knee-deep in snow, but one had to rely on Kamu as expert guide, to negotiate each treacherous musical crevasse and precarious ice-bridge without encountering disaster.

It was trying but not without its rewards. The slow third movement built inexorably to a sublime climax, one that did not seem plausible earlier, and the finale had a cogency that seemed definitive until its puzzlingly subdued end. This reaction against convention, almost an anti-symphony, was Sibelius’s unique vision of staring into a void.

The Fifth Symphony initially sounded as if cut from the same fabric, except it was to have a totally different outcome. This was after all the seed of Kamu’s love affair with the SSO when he conducted on his debut here some 27 years ago. Dark gave way to light in this far more accommodating work, with the splendid quartet of French horns providing the chiming refrain to a blazing conclusion.

In between all of this was the 19-year-old British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor’s original and compelling take on Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor. That all the notes fell comfortably within his prodigious fingers was no surprise. What was, however, was his sensitivity and prescience of all things musical, making every phrase and gesture count and sounding freshly minted.

Like an ultimate form of chamber music, he knew when to blend in and when to exert himself. The Intermezzo was a masterclass in the art of conversation with the orchestra, and the finale’s off-kilter waltz traipsed unerringly and brilliantly. His encore, Rachmaninov’s salon-like Polka de V.R., offered a delightful sleight of hand. This youngster is already a master.

CD Reviews (The Straits Times, February 2012)

BENJAMIN GROSVENOR Piano Recital
Decca 478 3206 / Rating *****

British pianists are not exactly covering themselves in glory at international piano competitions these days, but all this seems irrelevant in the face of a talent such as the 19-year-old Benjamin Grosvenor. Following up on his appearance at last year’s First Night of the BBC Proms, his new solo recording is a stupendous achievement. Inspired programming plays a large part. For example, instead of playing Chopin’s Four Scherzos straight through, he separates each of these fast and brilliant essays with the calm and tranquillity of the Nocturnes. Blessed with impeccable technique, and with certain liberties taken in tempi and rubato, these contrasts simply enhance the listening experience.

The Liszt contribution includes two transcriptions of Chopin’s Polish Songs – My Joys and The Maiden’s Wish - and the diminutive but sublime nocturne En Reve. He finishes off with Ravel’s diabolical Gaspard de la nuit, which he had performed at the Singapore International Piano Festival in 2010. He simply revels in the impressionism and expressionism inspired by Aloysius Bertrand’s poems. The mercurial allure of Ondine, the droll tolling of a distant bell in Le Gibet, and the maniacal laughter of Scarbo are vividly captured in these perfectly realised vignettes. Here is a reading that matches the best in the business.

BOOK IT:
BENJAMIN GROSVENOR performs Schumann Piano Concerto
with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Okko Kamu
Esplanade Concert Hall, 7.30 pm / Friday, 24 February 2012

Tickets available at SISTIC

KALINNIKOV Symphonies Nos.1 & 2
Malaysian Philharmonic / KEES BAKELS
BIS 1155 / ****1/2

What if the little-known Russian composer Vassily Kalinninov (1866-1901) had lived to a ripe old age instead of dying in consumptive poverty at the age of 34? Such questions may not be fully answered but what we are left with is a small body of music including two very well-crafted symphonies. The young talent had received praise from Tchaikovsky and moral support from Rachmaninov, but his overtly nationalistic symphonies filled with typically Russian themes and motifs are closer in spirit to Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov.

The melodies are catchy enough, often more memorable than those of the long-lived academic symphonist Glazunov. When the opening themes are reprised in the finale, the effect is as warm as a reunion between good old friends. Strangely for the Swedish label BIS, whose issues usually come hot off the press, this recording dates back to 2000. Only in the third year of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra’s existence, the playing under its first Music Director Dutchman Kees Bakels is polished, full of passion and involvement. With excellent sound, these readings already surpass those beloved vintage Soviet Melodiya recordings of Yevgeny Svetlanov.

Footnote: Our hearts go out to the nine Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra musicians laid off by the orchestra in the past week, a number of whom have been with the orchestra since its inception in 1998. Your invaluable contribution in invigorating the classical music in Malaysia and Singapore (the MPO has visited at least four times) will not be forgotten.

More on that injustice and ensuing discussion may be found in Norman Lebrecht's blog:

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2012/02/high-flying-asian-orchestra-runs-into-heavy-weather.html

Singapore's Bösendorfer Artist JOSEPHINE KOH Piano Recital

It is known that many great pianists also teach, but it is not necessarily the case vice versa that well-established piano teachers perform in public. That will be the day when all of Singapore's piano teachers turn up for a piano recital and fill up Esplanade Concert Hall, but until that happens, JOSEPHINE KOH, Singapore's first and only Bösendorfer Artist, hopes to change that notion that "If you can't perform, teach". Her programme is a very challenging one that deserves an audience, and Pianomania is fortunate to catch up with her for this exclusive interview. Her programme:

SCHUBERT Wanderer Fantasy

CHOPIN Nocturne in B flat minor, Op.9 No.1

DEBUSSY L'isle joyeuse

LISZT Sonata in B minor

Date: Tuesday, 28 February 2012

Place: Esplanade Recital Studio, 7.30 pm

Tickets at $28, $20 for students & senior citizens (SISTIC)

Briefly, tell us about your early musical training in Singapore.

Yes, I had piano teachers, the most memorable and caring was the kind Ms Low Siew Kwi who started me off so very well. I also had very positive teachers at school, for music and other subjects. After completing my “A” levels, Fellowship (Trinity College of London), and having learnt German at the Goethe Institut, I might have left for Germany at 20 or 21, after being accepted into the Hochschule at Berlin and Hamburg. But call it destiny…life's full of it. The West and East Germans were having problems, and it was not a right time to go.

What factors led you into a life of music, teaching and performing? What were your inspirations?

I was advised to take up jobs in Singapore. I became Music Lecturer at LaSalle College, having been known as a pianist at various private functions, particularly by its then-Head of Music, Mrs Georgina Emmanuel and Brother Joseph McNally.

I was lucky in other ways. I had very strong influencing mentors including Mr Paul Abisheganaden (left), then the Director of the National University of Singapore’s Centre for Musical Activities. I was the pianist for their Harmonica Group and tutor for the NUS Piano Ensemble at age 21. Paul guided and enlightened me in many ways, on how to become a really good professional musician. I played for the NUS Symphony Orchestra, his church and at many official occasions. He was my mentor till his last days. He knew every progress I made over the last 20 years. He also introduced me to many people and told me always, what was right and not right to do.

I had many strange life encounters, but one of the earliest and greatest inspiration was from Karel Husa (left), the Czech-American composer who spoke with me after his lecture in Singapore. I still remember: having shown him one of my piano compositions at the lobby of Shangri-la, he told me about in-roads into a musical career. At 70, he seemed to give me a torch. It's really hard to explain. But he was magic to me. He spoke about hoping to see my name on a big screen at the end of a film, or on a concert programme some day. He tried to remember my name, muttering "Josephine Koh" many times.

I also studied composition privately with Mr Leong Yoon Pin (left). He was a very quiet man, and I learnt an “inner peace” from him, about quietly doing one's things. He spoke to me about many things: about life, music, his beliefs… In a way, my life's perspectives were being shaped. I have great respect for him. I learnt through listening very attentively to him and asking questions. His secrets were often revealed at the quietest and most contemplative moments. He studied with Nadia Boulanger. If anyone wonders about the secrets of my theory …… I learnt much about Boulanger's discipline of pastiche writing and teaching methods.

There were the other Abisheganaden brothers too. It was Geoffrey and Alex who advised and helped me set up the Josephine Koh Music Studio. Coming back from Europe, I eventually decided to do the Singaporean thing and complete my Bachelor’s degree in English and Management at the Open University of UK. In 2005, with the restructuring at Yamaha Music, I decided to publish my own books under Wells Music Publishers.

You have devoted yourself to a life of teaching, either inspiring students on the keyboard as well as directing the NUS Harmonica Ensemble. What prompted you to make a comeback in performing on stage?

I never really stopped practising or performing as a musician, just less intense. My last solo recital was in 1997. With my appointment as a Bösendorfer artist and children growing up, it is now possible to return to performing and travelling again.

Tell us a little about your really demanding concert recital programme!

I'm playing it because I won’t be able to do it if I get any older! This programme has been carefully thought out. These are not pieces that I learnt recently or over a few years. The last time I played the Schubert Wanderer Fantasy was in 1994, and the Liszt Sonata in B minor in 1997. Over that period, I studied with Maestro Vincenzo Balzani in Milan and played a number of recitals then, flying between Singapore, Italy and the UK. Those were the days of life's greatest experiences…

How does one prepare for such a recital programme like this?

Practice, exercise and pray… and there are the dos and don'ts. It is both a mental and physical exercise. Behind it all, I cannot deny Maestro Balzani's ears, advice and counsel. I realised recently that every great pianist has had a great, quiet, influential mentor throughout their careers. To be on one's own is far too dangerous. I studied hard at conducting too, and it has given me a lot of insights into my piano playing. My most influential and demanding conducting mentor is Ovidiu Balan, who coincidentally is a great friend of Vincenzo Balzani.

Josephine (centre) with Bösendorfer and Yamaha representatives in Frankfurt.

You are Singapore’s only Bösendorfer artist. What does that actually entail, and how did you get bestowed that title?

There is an agreement and contract. But the Bösendorfer people are such beautiful, gracious people who respect their artists. What really needs to be done or is expected is almost mutually understood by them. When I was nominated, they visited me at my home and music studio. It wasn't even expected. I did not take up the offer initially as I was too busy and caught up with things. But life has its turning points, and I eventually plucked up the courage to give it a shot.

Maybe you might find this Vienna story interesting. I was received at Vienna airport for an impressive week-long itinerary that began with a 2-hour lecture-tour of the Bösendorfer factory. I was introduced to Bösendorfer people at various levels, and was assigned a full day to select my piano. I was brought to met the artist technician, who astounded me with the unbelievable acuteness of his ears and an innate understanding of an artist's touch, sound and needs. After the selection, the piano was brought to the salon and I had to play. It was so so unnerving, and I don't know what could have happened if it didn't go right!

The artist manager took care of me, and I was introduced at lunch to the conductor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. There were concerts and many discussions during lunches and dinners at high profile restaurants, which turned out to be informal interviews!

Eventually, I received my piano in November 2009, a 225 concert model. Having delayed my duties as a Bösendorfer artist by a year due to family commitments, the Premier Piano Launch organised by Yamaha at the Esplanade Recital Studio was held in January 2011. The announcement was made and the title officially bestowed. With the agreement eventually signed in April 2011, I met the Bösendorfer team in Frankfurt at the Musikmesse where we also held an exhibition for Wells Music Publishers. I was told that Bösendorfer had conducted various checks on me over more than a year.

It is well known that there are tens of thousands of music students in Singapore, but that does not translate into concert attendances. What can music teachers to encourage more of their students to attend musical events?

It’s our whole culture here in Singapore, and it’s has been so difficult all this while. If not for the great people behind my life, and God's many blessings, my story would have been a very different one. I would certainly continue to do my best in various ways to help music teachers and their students.

Josephine Koh was interviewed by PianoManiac.

VIVE LA FRANCE / Orchestra of the Music Makers / Review

OMM PROM: VIVE LA FRANCE
Orchestra of the Music Makers
Sunday (19 February 2012)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 21 February 2012 with the title "Prom night of mixed fortunes".

After scaling the peaks of symphonies by Mahler, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich, one might have thought that the Orchestra of the Music Makers would find the performance of lollipops an easier option. Not so. In fact, short and popular works are so familiar and over-exposed that the task of perfecting and making them sound fresh poses even more new challenges.

Such was the struggle the orchestra faced in its “Familiar Favourites” concert known as an OMM Prom. Almost every child who has seen Walt Disney’s animated classic Fantasia will recognise Dukas’s Sorceror’s Apprentice, music which accompanied the antics of a certain mouse. The playing lacked the sureness and finesse of earlier outings, and it was only during the march of the broomsticks – led by the bassoons - that the music gained true momentum.

Similarly, the Oriental Dance from Holst’s Beni Mora, inspired by French Algeria, sounded tentative and anaemic, diminishing the exoticism it was trying to portray. Things got better in Saint-Saens’s Danse Macabre, when concertmaster Davin Ang’s violin took charge as dancing skeletons leapt from their crypts. Even then, he could have been more audacious for added effect.

Fauré’s Pavane provided some respite from the virtuoso fare, and Kelly Loh’s lovely flute solo was a standout. Conductor Chan Tze Law then vacated the podium, to be replaced by percussionist Benjamin Boo’s snare drum solo for Ravel’s repetitious classic Boléro.

He was rock steady, keeping strict beat throughout while various wind and brass solos did their bits in the sinuous melody. These were unfortunately variable in levels of confidence, and in the absence of a true conductor, the gradual crescendo proved to be a laboured rather than thrilling one.

The subterranean and murky beginning of Ravel’s La Valse saw the ensemble in sixes and sevens, but as the waltz beat became established, the music began to take wing. By this time, the young musicians had played some 70 minutes without a break. Although ragged in parts, there was true voltage as the Frenchman’s deconstruction of the Viennese waltz lurched to a tumultuous close.

As if to atone for earlier inadequacies, both encores – the Waltz from Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty and Intermezzo from Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana – were beautifully crafted. The mixed fortunes of this outing should hopefully not deter the young orchestra from attempting more Proms. The audience of families and young people clearly appreciated the effort, and time is still on their side.

SSO Gala: BEETHOVEN'S Fidelio / Review

BEETHOVEN’S FIDELIO
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Esplanade Concert Hall
Saturday (18 February 2012)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 20 February 2012 with the title "Glorious sounds for Fidelio".

It was an opportune time in history for only the second production of Beethoven’s Fidelio in Singapore since the early 1980s. The popular uprisings of Arab Spring, liberalisation in Myanmar, justice for Khmer Rouge victims, and the call for the abolition of the Internal Security Act all found a resonant chord with this ageless opera about freedom from tyranny and oppression.

A solitary candle, symbol of hope and amnesty, was lit centre-stage as the overture played, providing the only illumination in a hall plunged into darkness. This dichotomy between liberty and captivity, good and evil, went down even to the white and black costumes of the chorus. In Beethoven’s world, there were only heroes and villains, it seems. If only it were that simple.

Never in doubt was the direction of this semi-staged concert production. Freed from distractions of costumes, sets and limitations of a cramped pit, the full-sized Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Shui Lan performed on stage, just behind the cast of soloists. Music would always come first, and the playing, especially from the brass, was glorious from first to last.

German dialogue was replaced by Director David Edwards’s pithily scripted narration, making the story and action easy to follow, even for ten-year-olds. Particularly distinguished were the soloists, led by Sinead Mulhern’s Fidelio/Leonora in the famous trousers role and Stuart Skelton’s Florestan. The former did little to conceal her gender other than tying up her hair and wearing long pants. Although the latter appeared far too chunky to be a starving political prisoner near death, it was his every steady ringing tenor and sympathetic portrayal that did not need convincing.

The couple’s happy duet O namenlose Freude (O Joy Inexpressible), later boosted by a healthily robust chorus trained by Lim Yau, was to seal the feel good factor that was in doubt for much of the early proceedings. Light had emerged from darkness, as the lighting gradually morphed from dark moody blue to bright sunshine.

The excellent supporting cast of Diogenes Randes (Rocco), Camille Butcher (Marzelline) and Michael Heim (Jacquino) provided some of the lighter moments, as in the quartet Mir ist so wunderbar (What A Wonderful Emotion) with Fidelio. Carsten Wittmoser (Don Pizarro) and Johannes Schmidt (Don Fernando), representing malevolence and benevolence, were also totally believable.

Given the limited budget afforded by the Singapore Lyric Opera (which manages two staged productions a year including next week’s Mozart Don Giovanni), and the quality of recent SSO opera productions, is it too much to hope for at least one new opera production a year from the national orchestra?

EIGHT TONES UNINTERRUPTED / Singapore Chinese Orchestra / Review

EIGHT TONES UNINTERRUPTED
Singapore Chinese Orchestra
Singapore Conference Hall
Friday (17 February 2012)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 20 February 2012 with the title "An Asian feast for all".

This concert, part of the island-wide musical marathon in conjunction with the Singapore Chinese Orchestra’s 15th anniversary, showed how much Chinese instrumental music has evolved. The long-held notion of small chamber groups playing ancient Chinese melodies in strict unison has given way to a diversity that is rapidly expanding.

The concert began with Wang Dan Hong’s rhapsodic Eight Tones, with the solo suona boldly opening accounts. Raw and earthy, the motto theme based on Zhuang ethnic music was subjected to a series ceremonial fanfares and elaborations before erupting into a full-blown dance procession.

Moving southerly was Sabah-native Simon Kong’s Izpirazione II, which won 2nd Prize in the International Chinese Orchestral Composition Competition in 2006. The two movements performed, Rambutan and Tarap (a jackfruit’s relative, above), attempted to infuse Southeast Asian elements into what is now known as Nanyang music.

The former was a rhythmic scherzo-like movement with strong presence of tuned percussion, while the latter revelled in Borneo aboriginal rhythms and conductor Quek Ling Kiong’s ad libitum grunts and chants. Audience participation was included, with synchronised foot-stomping and rhythmic clapping.

When it came to Zhang Xiao Feng’s Nong Yu Sheng, a three-movement virtuoso concerto for sheng and orchestra, the idioms were so removed from Chinese sources as to sound positively occidental. What were Zhang’s inspirations? French, Russian or Bernstein’s Americana? It was hard to tell from the first movement’s lilting serenade, or the slow movement’s atmospherics which lightly balanced muted strings with Guo Chang Suo’s sensuously beautiful solo, or the busy toccata-like figurations of the furious finale. Suffice to say, it was a surprising and original departure from the norm, and a quite brilliant one at that.

As if to appease more conservative tastes, the second half was more traditional with Yang Chun Lin and Zhan Yong Ming’s Never-Ending Resentment, a concerto about the ill-fated romance of the Tang Emperor and concubine Yang Gui Fei. Originally scored for two erhus, this version showcased Zhan’s amazing range on a composite flute that combined both registers of bangdi and qudi. Lovers of the Butterfly Lovers Concerto would have warmed up to this.

To close was A Trip To Lhasa by Kuan Nai-Chung, a picture postcard suite with its programmatic depictions of the Potala (solemn and sacred), the Yalu Tsangpo River (flowingly lyrical), a sky burial (eerie and macabre) and the Vanquishing Demons dance (noisily joyous). it was a raucous close to a concert with something for everybody.

CD Reviews (The Straits Times, February 2012)

ACROSS THE SEA
SHARON BEZALY, Flute
Singapore Symphony Orchestra / LAN SHUI
BIS CD-1739 / *****

This anthology handily brings together four flute concertante works by three Chinese-American composers - Zhou Long, Chen Yi and Bright Sheng – all born in the 1950s and who had lived through the tumultuous years of the Cultural Revolution. Despite combining contemporary idioms with Chinese and Oriental motifs, these pieces are an interestingly varied bunch. Zhou’s Five Elements (2008) play on the differing yet complementary perceptions of metal, wood, water, fire and earth, in the five linked movements. His rhapsodic The Deep, Deep Sea (2004) has a more impressionist colour, which made it a good companion for Debussy’s La Mer when it was first issued several years ago.

Chen’s The Golden Flute has the feeling of a fantasy, despite being in the classical fast-slow-fast concerto form. Flute and piccolo alternate in Sheng’s Flute Moon, manifested in a vigorous dance of the qilin (the spiritual chimera of Chinese mythology) and the lyricism of Sung dynasty poetry. Israeli flautist Sharon Bezaly’s exhaustive mastery of her instrument’s possibilities and a most alert and supportive SSO make this a very listenable, even enjoyable outing.

BACH Goldberg Variations / Fretwork
Harmonia Mundi 907560 (2 CDs) / *****

The universality and portability of J.S.Bach’s music ensures that much of it remains timeless whatever the form it takes. His Goldberg Variations, originally written for harpsichord to sooth an insomniac count, has sounded convincing on piano, harp, strings and various ensembles. This new version arranged for six viols by Richard Boothby deserves a special place in every library. Viols are antique instruments related to the lute dating from the Renaissance. Possessing frets and bowed on gut strings, their sound is mellower compared with steel strings of modern instruments.

The Variations are based on the descending sequence of notes played by the left hand of the keyboard rather than the opening Aria’s actual melody. There are 30 variations in all, with every third one being a canon. This offers a wealth of possibilities, and every movement is a gem. The diverging lines of counterpoint are shared by the players of Fretwork, the world’s leading viol ensemble, who respond with precision and perfect intonation. Variation No.20, which uses plucked strings, has a harp-like resonance that sounds totally magical. As repeats are taken, the work stretches to 90 minutes on two discs, priced as one. This is heavenly listening indeed.

YST Concerto Competition Prizewinners Concert II / Review

CONCERTO COMPETITION PRIZEWINNERS’ CONCERT II
Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Orchestra
Conservatory Concert Hall
Tuesday (14 February 2012)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 16 February 2012 with the title "Tuba wins the night".

The second instalment of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory’s Concerto Competition Prizewinners Concert series juxtaposed the obscure with the popular. As providence would have it, the victorious instrument from the brass, wind and percussion competition turned out to be the unfashionable tuba. After all, how many tuba concertos can one think of, if any?

One accustomed to those Hoffnung cartoons of old will testify to the number of tuba jokes, about an instrument whose bell is wide enough to drown a cat, and an entire orchestra. Thai tubist Thunyawat Thangtrakul was to prove its detractors wrong with an emphatic performance of American James Woodward’s Concerto 2000. Its four movements are tonal, in an accessible idiom that finds favour with wind bands.

The faster movements showcased an unusually adroit technique, brimming with energy and exuberance. Complemented by equally responsive orchestral brass, it began to sound like film music. There was wry humour, with the second movement’s ungainly waltz being the foil to the slow movement’s impassioned soliloquy. The jazzy syncopations of the tricky finale, confidently but nimbly negotiated, brought the work to a breathless close.

It would seem that Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto is overplayed. However it was a total pleasure to encounter it again in the hands of Uzbek violinist Adelya Nartadjieva, who was awarded Second Prize at the National Violin Competition with it last year. Here was not just a competent student performance, but one outstanding enough to grace the stages of the world’s great orchestras.

Playing on a 1895 Giovanni Cavani violin, her reading went beyond the mastery of mere notes, as she lived and breathed the music like some life affirming force. Pure passion allied with a generous tone and perfect intonation made the score come alive, and this was apparent from the opening measures. The fearsome cadenza, once deemed unplayable, was a study of searing intensity.

Despite some unsubtle wind and brass playing in the slow movement’s Canzonetta, the mood of melancholy was sealed by Nartadjieva’s gentle but heartfelt singing lines. All went for broke in the Cossack dance-inspired finale. Ripping off frayed bow hairs, her steely nerves unerringly stayed the course, with the clearly energised orchestra led by Jason Lai playing most alert and accommodating accompanists. It was simply breathtaking. For lovers of music, this was just about the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

AN EVENING WITH THE STARS OF TOMORROW / Review

AN EVENING WITH THE STARS OF TOMORROW
Esplanade Recital Studio
Sunday (12 February 2012)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 14 February 2012 with the title "A starlet's singing violin".

What a responsibility it is to be hailed as a “star of tomorrow”. Such is the hype that surrounds prodigious talents who just happen to be more capably endowed then their peers at one point of time. The plain truth is many prodigies do not fulfil their potential, while many stars were never prodigies during their tender years.

These two hours of music-making was a showcase for the Talent Makers Academy of Petaling Jaya (Selangor) and its director, the Malaysian pedagogue Lai Mei Kuen who handily hawked her wares and methods as the effusive emcee. The concert began on a kitschy note with four violinists playing the Chinese New Year melody Xing Chun Le in deadpan unison (below). Not a good start.

Some of the starlets were not yet ready for their ambitious showpieces. One 13-year-old girl seemed so overawed by two movements of Cesar Franck’s Violin Sonata that not a smidgen of emotion was raised. One’s attention began to drift to pianist Low Shao Ying’s sensitive but busy part which revealed so much more nuance and colour. An older boy accurately got through the notes of Chopin’s First Ballade but the conception was stodgy and laboured. He is now studying actuarial science, good choice.

It got better. On the violin, 13-year-old Anthony Goon’s view of Sarasate’s Gypsy Airs had attitude and swagger to transcend its callisthenics. From the keyboard, John Lee’s confident manner in two contrasting Rachmaninov Preludes was reassuring; the coruscating B flat major number (Op.23 No.2) was actually better played than Lang Lang’s self-indulgent account here in 2007. Then 8-year-old flautist Ong Yi Ting (above) charmed the house with a Moszkowski Spanish Dance, so natural and unforced that it was simply irresistible.

If there were a bona fide star in the making, that would be 19-year-old violinist James Dong (above), who now studies at the Sydney Conservatorium. The moment he raised his bow to Sarasate’s Introduction and Tarantella, one could sense a single-mindedness to make the violin sing. The instrument just became an extension of his soul.

The inclusion of a movement from Schubert’s B Flat Major Trio (Op.99) was an excellent one, where Dong blended seamlessly with cellist Loh Hsiao Shan and pianist Lee, a much needed respite from the high-flying pyrotechnics. While Dong had the most exposure with a Ysaye sonata movement, Bazzini’s notorious Dance Of The Goblins and Monti’s riproaring Csardas as encore, the quietest moments held the greatest resonance. His Massenet Meditation from Thaïs, with its outpouring of melody, was one to die for.

A Schubert trio movement from three young musical talents.

SSO Concert: An Alpine Symphony / Review

AN ALPINE SYMPHONY
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Esplanade Concert Hall
Friday (10 February 2012)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 13 February 2012 with the title "Delicious repartee with SSO".

At first glance, this appeared like a regular subscription concert, with concerto followed by symphony. It was in fact a first official collaboration between the national orchestra and the national conservatory, held at the national arts centre. The flourishing of Singapore’s musical scene within the last decade was in large part down to the collective strengths of these three organisations.

The concert was a culmination of sorts, beginning with a magnificent performance of Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B minor. The soloist, the Chinese-Australian Qin Li-Wei, had made his first appearance with the SSO during the mid-1990s with this concerto. Now head of cello studies at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory, this was a welcome return with dividends multiplied manifold.

While his firm grasp of its technical demands was never in doubt, now as it was then, the breadth and depth of conception had also matured. This was no longer about a prodigious youngster aiming to make an impact, but a fully-formed soul enjoying the music-making and persuasively revealing its secrets. The tone he eased from the 1780 Guadagnini cello was sumptuous, and his repartee with the orchestra delicious.

The orchestra also stood its ground well, the cohesiveness of ensemble was matched by excellent individual solos. Han Chang Chou’s French horn, Jin Ta and Roberto Alvarez’s flutes made one pay attention to details normally missed on casual listening. The “live” recording made of this performance on Decca Records will be one to look out for. As the most appropriate encore, Dvorak’s Silent Woods was offered, another chance to savour Qin’s inimitable artistry.

In the second half, 46 conservatory students filled the ranks to join the SSO for Richard Strauss’s gargantuan An Alpine Symphony. Playing over 50 minutes, this programmatic tone poem in multiple sections about a mountaineering expedition in the Bavarian Alps threatened to outstay its welcome. It was conductor Shui Lan’s keen mustering of his forces that held the bloated work together.

The crucial themes, representing the Mountain, the Sun and the Mountaineers, were well-defined on the outset, and so when these were reprised in various guises of transformation, the music made strong narrative sense. The accompanying frills, including special effects of offstage brass, pelting snowstorm with wind machine and thunder plates, all fell into place as each peak and each climax was gamely overcome. It was short of subtlety, but what a glorious noise was created.

One just needs to hear the 1993 recording of this work to see how far the SSO has progressed since then. As if to seal the Orchestra-University union, a generous encore of Brahms’s Academic Festival Overture, overflowing with bawdy student drinking songs, lustily concluded the evening’s musical carousing.

CD Reviews (The Straits Times, February 2012)

BEETHOVEN Sonatas
ALICE SARA OTT, Piano
Deutsche Grammophone 477 9291 / ****1/2

After scaling the heights of Liszt, Chopin and Tchaikovsky in her earlier recordings, the young German-Japanese pianist settles down for some more serious Beethoven. Her choice of the two C major Sonatas is an astute one. These relatively youthful works are interpretively less taxing yet provide ample opportunity for virtuoso display. She opts for a lighter and more humourous touch, veering away from the barnstorming Beethoven who made his name as a smasher of keyboards.

The four movements of the earlier Op.2 No.3 Sonata come across as fresh as a spring breeze, while the later Op.53 “Waldstein” Sonata brims with vim and vigour. An ultra-smooth delivery of the finale culminates with octave glissandi that are deliberately misaligned so as to sound like a chiming carillon – a liberty taken with startling effect. Also included is the sublime Andante Favori, originally a rejected slow movement of the Waldstein, and the sparkling Rondo a Capriccio, popularly known as the Rage Over A Lost Penny. The prodigious Ott is clearly in cruise control for all these performances.

DALE Piano Sonata in D minor
BOWEN Miniature Suite
DANNY DRIVER, Piano
Hyperion 67827 / ****1/2

Quick, name an early 20th century piano sonata cast in D minor that is almost as long as Beethoven’s Hammerklavier Sonata. Rachmaninov’s rarely performed First Sonata comes to mind, but in this case, the composer is Englishman Benjamin Dale (1885-1943). He was a classmate in London’s Royal Academy of Music of Arnold Bax and York Bowen, both of whom also wrote notable music for piano. Dale’s 42-minute long Sonata (1902), dedicated to Bowen, is not for the impatient at heart, as its profusion of ideas takes time to unravel, through an unusual combination of Lisztian technique and salon music ideas.

The heart of this rambling score lies in a central Theme and Variations, as masterly as any crafted by Tchaikovsky. Its Adagio maestoso variation reminds one of Rachmaninov, flanked by two scherzo-like fast numbers which underlie Dale’s facility and eclecticism. Two shorter works – Prunella and Night Fancies – lend an Elgarian feel to the creative output. Bowen’s Miniature Suite (1904), dedicated to Dale in return, is concise by contrast, its three varied movements filled with charm and wit. Young British pianist Danny Driver (left) is a most elegant and persuasive advocate, rendering this album a singular pleasure.

LORI KAUFMAN Piano Recital / Review

LORI KAUFMAN Piano Recital
Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Concert Hall
Tuesday (7 February 2012)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 9 February 2012 with the title "An emotional look back for Kaufman".

Rückblick is a German work that literally means a “backward look”, or to view something in retrospect. It could be one looking back in anger, but more often yearning and regret are the emotions. Rückblick could also have been the title of the recital by American pianist Lori Kaufman, now residing in Singapore.

The progress of classical music has been a series of retrospections, forging ahead with innovations yet with roots dug deeply into the past. Mozart’s Sonata in C major (K.330) began her programme, displaying an extroverted streak, unafraid to ring out aloud with spirit and clarity.

After overcoming an unfortunate lapse in the slow movement, the tolling F minor central section was tinged with sadness, providing the first contrast in mood. When it reappeared briefly in the major key at the end, the effect of transformation was magical.

In Schubert’s Allegretto in C minor, Kaufman probed into the private and desolate world of his Lieder. Time stood still for moments of stark beauty, before she headed uninterrupted into a set of Schubert Waltzes, itty-bitty pieces of understated charm. If some sounded familiar, that was because Franz Liszt had co-opted these into his Soirees de Vienne, a classic case of looking back in wonder.

Ravel’s Valses nobles et sentimentales followed, clearly a tribute to Schubert, which viewed the Viennese dance form through a distorting prism. Kaufman luxuriated in their naughty dissonances and teasing harmonies, with the heady Seventh Waltz glancing ahead to the decadence of La Valse. The final waltz itself gathered fragments of preceding waltzes with the longing of valued keepsakes.

The final work was Brahms’s mighty Third Sonata in F minor (Op.5). Kaufman’s Amazonian technique and seemingly limitless drive surmounted its massive chords and octaves with relative ease. The unsettling rhythm of Beethoven’s Fate motif from the Fifth Symphony was recalled, albeit as a shadowy presence. There was lots of tenderness besides, as the slow movement’s serene Lied was wonderfully shaded, building up to a tumultuous climax.

An irresistibly boisterous waltz served as the Scherzo, then came the brief Intermezzo which Brahms had also titled Rückblick. The Lied theme returned but now as sounding mournful, punctuated by the ever sinister Fate motif. Summoning all her reserves and extra gulps of mineral water, she closed the final movement with an exuberant rush of adrenaline, never mind the occasional missed notes. Aided by Kaufman’s own personable programme notes, here was ambitious effort well worth reliving all over again.

MORE OF SINGAPORE'S BEST KEPT SECRETS: The Temples of Race Course Road

There are some places in Singapore which I've never been to in all of my years. The north end of Race Course Road, far away from the crowded curry restaurants, is one of these. My reason for being there had more to do with canine hydrotherapy, but some time was spared for me to do some touristy sight-seeing. Within close proximity, there are at least four or five temples, and they say that Singaporeans are not religious...

Perhaps the most interesting of these is the Sakyamuni Gaya Temple (above), which is built like a Thai-styled viharn. Because of its Thai origins (founded by Thai monks who found the spot conducive for meditation), it was spared by the Japanese during the Second World War. Thus Allied PoWs used this as a site to smuggle letters back to their homelands.

A stone leopard and tiger 

guard the entrance to the temple.

Possibly the tallest sitting Buddha in Singapore. 

Old Tourism Board brochures refer to this temple 

as the "Temple of Thousand Lights".

Assorted Buddha images below the big Buddha.

These icons are typical of most Thai temples, 

including the mother-of-pearl 

inlaid Buddha footprint (right).

A diorama of Buddha's life, 

when the Prince Siddharta sees his first corpse (left), 

and fulfilling his vow to asceticism (right).

Across the street is the Leong San Temple, 

which is typical of most Chinese temples 

(which practise a combination of Buddhism, 

Confucianism, Taoism and ancestor worship).

Colourful and ornate carvings are a common feature.

Scenes of Chinese mythology 

are often displayed on temple walls.

The interior of the Leong San Temple.

The main altar.

Temple guardian, Maitreya (laughing Buddha) 

and the Goddess of mercy.